We’ve all had that “epiphany bottle” of wine. Maybe it was the first time you had a decent Bordeaux or even your 10th Premier Cru Burgundy. You can’t predict when it comes, but you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that sip of wine where you suddenly realize what the fuss is all about, where you actually sit up and understand how great a glass of wine can be.

For Jason Martin, who founded the LA Wine Project, that epiphany moment just happened to be pink. It’s odd. To fall in love with a rosé. He admits it. But from that moment forward, Jason has been on a journey, sometimes quixotic, sometimes comical, always looking forward, to make the best rosé in the world.

These are wines that will make you forget Provence. They are light and crisp with a bare wisp of sweetness. My current favorite is the The Beautiful and the Damned Rosé of Grenache 2017. This wine is absolutely delicious with seafood and has enough structure and acidity to back up against any Asian spice (well, maybe not Sichuan, but then again, maybe yes…?)

– JDH

Several years ago, Jason drove from LA up the Central Coast. He was looking to buy grapes. He had no idea how to do it. Fortune smiled on his effort and in a local cafe, he met a guy who told him that he had a vineyard and the fruit was good, used by some of the top wineries in the area. The guy told Jason if he would bring in the crop, he could keep 25% of whatever he picked. So Jason get every friend he had in town to drive 2 hours North to the Santa Ynez Valley to pick grapes in the middle of the night. He wasn’t sure why the middle of the night. He’d seen other do it. If it was good enough for them, then that’s how it would be. As the fingers of dawn tickled over the horizon, he drove his quarter share home in a rented trailer truck and made his first rosé in his garage.

It turned out okay. But the city shut him down. Apparently, making wine in your garage is a violation of several different municipal codes. Who knew?

Jason has evolved his process significantly since the garage days. In part because he met Andy MacMurray, an esteemed grower and winemaker, who has championed Jason’s pink cause. Now Jason makes 3 single varietal rosés, each with distinctive character and personality.

Our adventures in Oregon have come to an end (but we’ll definitely be back!) Time to pull up stakes and head South. But before we go, I thought it would be nice to reminisce a bit by offering those who missed out one last chance to get in on some of this Pacifc Northwest love. So, we’ve pulled together this “GREATEST HITS BOX SET” which includes the best from our Oregon reports.

It goes without saying that this is a highly limited offering – so first come, first served protocol applies. We’re “wheel’s up” next week, so all orders need to be in by Sunday night. Please let me know if you’d like to give this a go – simply reply with your allocation request or follow the links:

Statera Cellars 2016 Johan Vineyard Chardonnay “The single most compelling Chardonnay I’ve tasted in a decade” – JDH Sometimes good things happen to good people. Maybe it’s karma. Maybe it’s the majestical promise of the Year of Pig. But when we told Luke Wylde that his Chardonnay sold out in record time he offered us a few more cases, from his personal stash. (buy now)

Vincent’s 2015 Silvershot Vineyard Pinot “I think it may be impossible to not finish this bottle in one sitting – so if you’re not prepared for that, just hide it in the pantry and don’t even tell yourself where it is!”– JDH This was an offering we made over Chinese New Year, and I’m afraid it might have been lost in mountains of JaPow or on the beaches of Thailand; because hardly anyone noticed, which is a shame because this wine is awesome and an incredible value! Last chance – going, going… (buy now)

Brittan Vineyards 2015 Gestalt Block Pinot Noir But in his heart, he wanted to make Pinot. So he took some big risks, left his job and moved North to the Willamette. This is a truly legit Oregon Pinot made by one of the best in the business. Drinking the Gestalt Bloc Pinot is like having an Oregon Pinot Noir master class in your glass. We have a few cases left – but like the Statera, this will definitely go quick so please let me know if you want another crack at this amazing wine. (buy now)

2014 Sokol Blosser Artist Series Pinot Noir. This is flat-out, show stopping red wine. It’s elegant and powerful, like a linebacker in a tutu! And, it’s impossible to find (but we did!) This deal was the epitome of being at the right place, at the right time (which is sort of what we strive for here at Field Report). Finding a parcel of an outstanding, absolutely top of the range, wine like the 2014 Sokol Blosser Artists Series has to be the highlight of our trip. It’s expensive; but it’s worth it. Just a few cases more and we’re out (and that just might be it for this vintage – not just via Field Report, but worldwide) (buy now)

At Field Report, we love discovering sensational producers with great stories. We love finding winemakers like Luke Wylde who drove Lyft to make enough money to buy a stainless steel tank (and yes, we are trying hard to get more of the Statera Chardonnay). But what we REALLY love is being in the right place, at the right time, and finding a parcel of outstanding, absolutely top of the range and IMPOSSIBLE TO GET wines… introducing the legendary 2014 Sokol Blosser Artist Series Pinot Noir.

Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol planted their original vineyard in Oregon’s Dundee Hills in 1971. They were among a handful of intrepid souls who followed David Lett’s mid-60s lead and planted Pinot Noir in Oregon. The rest is history and Sokol Blosser has played a big part in the writing of it. The property is now run by brother/sister duo, Alex and Alison Sokol Blosser.

You could argue that this is a special occasion wine, but it is so delicious you will nominate the Tuesday it arrives at your doorstep a reason to celebrate! – JDH

The beauty of the bottle is rivaled only by the power and finesse of the wine inside. This is flat-out, show stopping red wine. It’s elegant and powerful, like a linebacker in a tutu (a ruckman in toe shoes, a prop in pirouette… you get the idea). Supple cherry fruit and a lithe mineral core linger on the palate for what seems to be forever.

This is not the estate Pinot on the winery website. This wine is not available anywhere else. You can only get this from us. Do not miss a chance to see what the best barrels from the celebrated 2014 vintage are all about. We only have a small allocation and I promise it will go quickly. The provenance is direct from the winery where it has been cellared since bottling.

If you’ve been following along, you’ll remember that our Stratera and Vincent offerings sold out in minutes. But were working on getting our hands on a few more cases of each… so please watch this space! In the meantime we are absolutely delighted to offer one of Oregon’s finest – Brittan Vineyards 2015 Gestalt Block Pinot Noir.

We’re not snobs. Okay, maybe a little. But only because we think education matters. And Robert Brittan has an outstanding CV. After making wine in his college dorm, he went to UC Davis before becoming the first winemaker at Far Niente in Napa Valley. (Far Niente is run by our dear friend Beth Nichols… and Beth is a Napa Valley legend, to say the least). Robert went on to make stunning, award winning wines at Stag Leap. But in his heart, he wanted to make Pinot. So he took some big risks, left his job and moved North to the Willamette.But, Robert wanted to make great Pinot Noir and the Willamette Valley’s Brittan Vineyards is the result.

The Brittan Vineyards is bright, big nose of fresh strawberry, kirsch, grape skins, sandalwood and ivory soap (just a hint). On the palate the ripe red fruits surround a serious, structured wine with notes of mocha and graphite (no soap). It’s opulent and dense. And if you can let it breathe for an hour, notes of sour cherry and wild strawberry emerge and the tannins fade into a long, elegant finish. – JDH

This is exactly the sort of low-intervention, superb quality wine that FIELD REPORT is all about!

Vincent Wine Company’s 2015 Silvershot Vineyard Pinot Noir is not only awesome, but we couldn’t believe how good a deal we managed to get. At HK$350, this will be one of the best value offerings of the year (and yes, I’m aware that it’s still only January). But how Vincent Fritzsche can make wine this good and charge so little is an absolute marvel. This is not a “village-level’ wine. This is the top-end bottling from one of Vincent’s best vineyard.

The wine itself is elegant and intense without being over-powering. The Silvershot Vineyard is dry-farmed and own-rooted in the Eola region of the Willamette Valley. Eola is the god of wind, and the valley’s fierce winds keep bugs and mold away. The vines produce small berries with dense, concentrated flavors of cherry and dried spice (sage?).

I think it may be impossible to not finish this bottle in one sitting – so if you’re not prepared for that, just hide it in the pantry and don’t even tell yourself where it is! – JDH

Vincent’s winemaking style is old-school. He believes that wines are made in the vineyard not the winery, he is a proper vigneron. His winemaking is non-interventionist, native yeast ferment, nothing added. He even avoids new oak, preferring to buy his 100% French barrels with a couple or three vintages already behind them. This leaves the wines still structured and nuanced, but open and accessible. The fruit is restrained, but still fresh, crisp, lively. We tasted the wine and kept the bottle. Three hours later, the nose had opened up revealing layers of strawberry, cherry and hints of vanilla. And the wine stretched on the palate, bright and lingering. It’s positively gulpable (might be my favorite new wine descriptor – thanks JDH!)

With today’s offer, FIELD REPORT launches a short series from our recent trip to Oregon. Oregon is mostly associated with Pinot Noir. The cool climate, sloping hills and marine soils lend themselves to classic, Burgundy-style wines. And we definitely have a handful of Oregon classics to share with you over the next few weeks — but let’s start with the wine that surprised us the most; and it wasn’t even a pinot. It was a Chardonnay!

Yes. I said, Chardonnay, or more specifically Statera Cellars 2016 Johan Vineyard Chardonnay. And If you only buy one wine from us this whole year, buy this one.

Even if you don’t like Chardonnay, you should try this single-vineyard beauty. It is an unexpected and delicious swirl of lime-and-lemon acidity, fresh apple, a beguiling honeyed umami flavour that doesn’t have a name, a lurking saline note, and a mineral-tinged finish. The integration of all the complex elements is seamless. The balance is perfect. There is something ultimately satisfying about this wine. It’s serious but accessible and easy to drink. A bottle full of absolute happiness.

I’ve probably overhyped this to our detriment because we only have a five cases to share. So I’m not going to tell you that the Johan Vineyard is also meticulously biodynamic, that Luke and Meredith add NOTHING to their wines. Put your hand up quickly and we’ll do our best to get at least a few bottles to everyone.

Luke Wylde and his partner Meredith Bell make these wines together. Meredith is biochemist with a Masters in Oenology from UC Davis. Luke has worked vineyards in South Otago, Margaret River and the Mosel. They launched Statera Cellars with a successful Kickstarter campaign. Luke sometimes drives for Lyft to raise money for tanks. Their production is tiny (less than 200 cases total). And THEY ONLY MAKE CHARDONNAY. It is a mania for them.

California’s 2018 harvest was abundant and late. So rather than heading out on much deserved vacations, most winemakers were sill at work late into the year; finishing first ferment and transferring their new wine into barrels. FIELD REPORT took advantage of the situation – as we do – and squeezed in a trip to California’s Central Coast just before year’s end.

We’re glad we did because we found an awesome wine from one of America’s most inspired young winemakers – Ryan Roark. We also managed to get our hands on a few cases of Ryan’s 2016 Alondra De Los Prado Syrah. The fruit comes from a very small, one-acre vineyard located just outside Santa Ynez; a hidden gem of land that creates incredibly distinctive, complex wines. And best of all, at only HK$390 per bottle, this is an absolute steal. (Before Ryan took over this vineyard, wine produced from it was priced at more than HK$1,200.

“Ryan Roark focuses on making small batch wines that showcase variety, vintage, and place. Wines like his single-vineyard, 2016 Alondra De Los Prados Syrah from California’s Santa Barbara county. Elegant and complex, brooding with a tensile energy, blue fruit and graphite-tinged depth. More silk than velvet, it is a cool climate, low alcohol masterpiece.This wine is flat out sexy!” – J.D.H., Field Reporter

About the 2016 SYRAH – ALONDRA DE LOS PRADOS This Syrah is from a small one-acre vineyard located just outside of the town of Santa Ynez. Ryan farms this site with his friend Erik and during harvest, they split the fruit. It really is a hidden gem and lends itself to creating a distinctive, complex wines.

About RYAN ROARK Ryan Roark focuses on making small batch wines that showcase variety, vintage, and place. To best represent each harvest, he makes his wines as unadulterated as possible: in neutral vessels, with all native fermentation, and no additions apart from a minimal amount of sulphur.

Ryan started his journey with a fascination for farming; he studied plant pathology and microbiology at Texas A&M where he was able to take part in an agricultural exchange program that placed him with a small family-owned winery located in the Loire Valley. There he worked the land and learned the skills that he would take with him throughout France, New Zealand, and California.

I remember tasting this wine over the summer and of course, liked it enough to share it with you then. But was it really worthy all the recent hype? I had a few bottles left and decided to open one last night… the answer is a resounding YES!

But that’s also when I remembered… only 228 cases of this wine were produced. I immediately placed a call to the winery’s owner, Andrew Tow. Without even saying hello, I asked “how many cases of this Claire’s Vineyard Pinot do you have left?” Andrew paused, then with a laugh suggested I take a deep breath, “I can send you six-more cases Frank, just make sure they go to a good home”.

So there we have it my friends! Six-more cases of this outstanding wine is on its way to Hong Kong. Same offer as last time, just HK$350 per bottle (an amazing value then, even more so now!)

Here’s some more on The Withers 2016 Mendocino Claire’s Vineyard Pinot Noir

This wine has the fresh coastal air of a conifer forest in the uplands of the Mendocino coast. There’s a brisk, glimmering intensity to the red fruit that places it on top of a coastal ridge, a brilliant length of flavor combining fresh notes of forest mushrooms, stemmy scents of spice in the tannins and floral red fruit—a combination that inhabits your breath after you take a sip, and lasts in transparent shades of the original taste. This wine grows at the Peterson family’s vineyard in Comptche, grapes offered to Andrew Tow only for this year. He and his winemaker, David Low, cold soaked those grapes for a week, with 35 percent whole bunches; after a slow fermentation, they aged the wine in mostly old barrels, undisturbed for a year. Tow plans to use the Claire’s Vineyard label, named after his mother, for exceptional one-offs like this pinot

(in my best ring announcer voice:) It’s an honor and privilege to introduce to you, the soil whisperer, the blender of brilliance, the titan of terroir… it’s Philippe Melka and his 2014 Mekerra Proprietary Blend!

Awesome as in we just got our hands on six (6) cases of Philippe Melka’s 2014 Mekerra Proprietary Blend ~ ready to drink now (but built for age) and they’re already on their way to Hong Kong.

There is much ballyhoo about the current vintage – 2018 – in California as having potential to be the “best of the century.” Time will tell. But the 2014 is already proving itself as a stand-out in a string of above average vintages. Warm weather lengthened the growing season but continuing drought conditions stressed the vines producing amazingly dense and complex and flavorful fruit. 2018 has a high bar to cross.

Just 350 cases of this unbelievably beautiful wine was produced. The Mekerra is made from 51% Cabernet Franc and 49% Merlot sourced entirely from Knights valley in northern Sonoma.

A perfumed nose full of smoke, tar, raspberries and herbs leads into a silky sweet entry that has a smooth creaminess with great energy and brightness. An extremely inviting wine that leans more towards having a merlot-like influence despite the Cabernet franc in slightly higher proportion. The finish boasts sublime tannins and pure finesse.” – Philippe & Cherie Melka

#SorryNotSorry, but we have to limit this offer to only six (6) bottles per person. Don’t miss out on this very unique offer. First in, best dressed.

Jeb Dunnuck on the 2014 Mekerra Proprietary Blend, (97 pts.) Chocolate, leafy herbs, graphite, and mineral notes all emerge from the 2014, a gorgeously textured, concentrated, opulent wine. Based on Cab Fran and Merlot, aged 21 months in 60% new oak, it has building tannin, a layered, stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. It’s a killer wine from the talented winemaker and should keep for 20-25 years.

More about the Mekerra Proprietary Blend:

The distinctive name was chosen as an homage to Philippe’s father as Mekerra is the name of a river that flows close to his hometown. This is also why the color blue was selected for the eyes on the label as well as the foil. The 25 acre parcel was purchased in 2001 as it was ideal for planting vineyards that could produce wines that would be truly terroir driven. The volcanic ash and clay found in the soils and the extremely high elevation at 2500 feet, is why the three wines made from this single vineyard in Knights Valley are unique.
Some more on Melka:

More about the Philippe Melka:

A native of Bordeaux, Melka grew up intrigued by the intricacies of the land around him, and like the celebrated wines on which he’s built his reputation, Philippe Melka’s career has been influenced by soil. Melka has received several 100-point scores from The Wine Advocate and been named by Robert Parker as one of the top nine wine makers in the world.

Melka has the rare combination of talent and fortune to be a winemaker who started at the top: his first job out of school was at Chateau Haut Brion. From there, he took a position with the reputable Moueix Company and was sent to Dominus Estate in Yountville to study soils in 1991. Napa Valley soil proved to be a revelation for Melka. He returned to France in 1993 to deepen his expertise at Chateau Petrus.

He has been fortunate to have been trained and influenced by some of the most notable personalities in the wine business such as Jean Delmas and Jean Philippe Masclef from Haut-Brion, Christian Moueix and Jean Claude Berrouet from Petrus, Paul Draper from Ridge, Daniel Baron from Silver Oak and the globetrotting wine consultant Michel Rolland with whom he continues to work with on consulting projects.

In 1994, he returned to Napa full time, and for the past 20 years, Melka has served as winemaking consultant for some of Napa’s most highly regarded properties under his company Atelier Melka founded in 1995. As co-proprietor of Melka Estates, Philippe and Cherie produce four distinct labels that reflect their philosophy of soil driven wines: Metisse from Napa Valley, Mekerra from Sonoma Valley, Majestique from around the world and CJ, also from Napa Valley.

This isn’t what you think. This is something new for us, the first sparkling rosé we’ve ever offered. But when you taste as much wine as we do, you get excited when you find something new, and different, and…

Sapere Aude (from the Latin “Dare to Know) is a sparkling rosé that defies categorization. Sure, it’s a mix of quality Napa Valley Pinot Noir (80%) and Chardonnay (20%). And yes, the viticulture is biodynamic, and the wine making non-interventionist and serious (the bottles spend 6 months on their lees!) But still, it isn’t what you think. It took us a while to figure out just why we loved Sapere Aude so much and then it hit us; simply put, this wine is incredibly FUN!

This will be your go to for any celebration that needs the sound of a cork popping; also perfect for weekend junks and boozy Hong Kong brunches. Any occasion really, because it’s just that good and that much fun to drink! And darn good value too.

Sapere Aude has a nervous tension that lures you in. And a faint, but structured, minerality that keeps you coming back for more – JDH

Only 500 cases produced, and our allocation is just a fraction of that. First in. Best dressed. Don’t wait. Limit 12 bottles per person until we run out.